


A Thousand Paper Flowers

by skylarkphantomemperor



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Prompto Argentum Needs a Hug, Prompto Argentum-centric, Zine: Full Bloom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:47:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21915487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skylarkphantomemperor/pseuds/skylarkphantomemperor
Summary: In Lucis, there is a famous belief that when one managed to fold a thousand paper flowers and dedicate them to the Astrals, they would be granted one wish.The story of the times Prompto folded paper flowers alone and the one time his friends folded for him.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia
Comments: 7
Kudos: 77
Collections: Full Bloom Zine (Final Fantasy XV)





	A Thousand Paper Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> (Originally written for the FFXV Full Bloom Zine)

In Lucis, there is a famous belief that when one managed to fold a thousand paper flowers and dedicate them to the Astrals, they would be granted one wish.

Prompto was about five years old when he first heard about the belief of wishing on a thousand paper flowers. Prompto’s neighbor was a nice elderly woman named Maya who cared and looked after Prompto more often than not, allowing him to play in her yard whenever his parents were out of town. Prompto’s parents often took long business trips outside the city, which always left Prompto lonesome. Prompto had wanted his parents to spend more time with him just like all the other kids in his neighborhood and yet, as months pass by without so much as a call sent his way, his parents only proved themselves just as scarce as they had before. The only thing they ever cared about whenever they were home was reminding him to cover the barcode on his wrist.

It was in these moments of emptiness would he find himself coming over to Maya’s, running straight into her garden of chrysanthemums and sit down on the small wooden bench nearby to stare at the flowers until Maya joined him. Then, she would pet his hair in a comforting way and start telling him tales from long ago. It was these moments of compassion that eased the emptiness Prompto felt, even just for a little while. It was also one of these moments that sparked a bit of hope in his heart.

“Paper flowers?” Prompto had asked, his head tilting to show how puzzled he was.

“Yes. You see, Prompto,” Maya said while leaning in toward him, speaking softly like she was telling him a secret. “There’s a legend that if you manage to fold a thousand paper flowers and dedicate them to the Astrals, they will grant your every desire.”

“Really? Is that true?” Prompto asked excitedly. “Any wish?” Maya nodded, smiling softly at him. “Can you teach me how, please?”

“Of course,” Maya agreed. “Did you think I would tell you about the paper flowers without teaching you to make one? There are many kinds of flowers you can fold! Take, for example, the chrysanthemums in my garden. I’ll teach you to make one of those.” 

Later, when Prompto held in his hands his first ever paper flower, a yellow chrysanthemum coaster, he asked, “Maya, do you think if I folded a thousand of these, Mom and Dad would spend more time with me?”

“Only if you believe it will, Prompto.” Maya smiled sadly at him before repeating, “Only if you believe.”

Spurred on by Maya’s encouragement, Prompto started his own goal of folding a thousand paper flowers. Months passed by and Prompto’s parents were still caught up in business trips, staying only for a week at most before leaving again, much to Prompto’s disappointment. It occurred to him one night, as he sniffled his way through folding paper flowers that maybe his parents didn’t really want him anymore. The realization that his parents had long since lost their love for him left him so sad that he stopped folding the flowers and hid them under his bed to collect dust.

...

By the time Prompto entered middle school, he was accustomed to living alone. Maya had long moved back to live with her family due to old age. Her last gift to Prompto had been an origami chrysanthemum made of satiny violet paperwhich he added to his neglected collection of paper flowers.

Prompto didn’t have any friends at school, not that he didn’t want some. He very much liked the idea of having a friend, but he wasn’t sure on how to go on about it, or even where to start. Does he have to do something special? While everyone around him was piled in their own little circle of friends, he was alone, browsing pictures of town he took on his camera.

The only person in his class that seemed to be just as alone as him was Prince Noctis. Sure, the Prince was popular and his classmates would flock to him all the time, asking about his servants and other princely stuff, but Noctis never really got close to any of them. If anything, he looked uncomfortable. He would always excuse himself to go to the toilet, or brood at the back of the school gym far away from everyone else. Prompto always found himself staring after the Prince. Maybe he could be Noctis’s friend, instead? Nah, who was he kidding? The Prince wouldn’t want to be friends with someone like him, but when Prompto got home that day, the thought still bounced around in his mind. He dug out the small bag of paper flowers from under his bed and started to fold pulled out a few fresh sheets or origami paper. Maybe, just maybe, he’d try wishing for a friend instead.

...

Prompto had never owned a dog. 

Prompto had just started on adding to his pile of paper flowers again, this time learning new ways of folding them to create more varieties of flowers. He had figured out how fold tulips and was learning to fold peonies when he found an injured dog on his way home. 

The dog was a tiny thing and it looked hurt enough that leaving it alone could cause further harm. Prompto couldn’t help but bring it home and nurse it back to health. For a while, his paper flowers took a back seat and “Tiny”─the dog─became his friend.

When he came home to a silent house and missing puppy, Prompto comforted himself folding paper flowers yet again.

...

One day, he received a letter.

The letter was a fancy thing and smelled fancy, too, but what got Prompto’s attention was a delicately-made papercraft sylleblossom attached to it. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever received. The letter turned out to be from Lady Lunafreya who was Tiny’s owner all along. She thanked him for taking care of her dog and asked him to remain at Prince Noctis’s side. Prompto wasn’t sure what she meant by that, assuming that she may have thought Prompto was Noctis’s friend. They weren’t.

But they could be.

...

Prompto’s first attempt of befriending Prince Noctis didn’t go the way he’d hoped it would. He was pretty sure he embarrassed himself, the word “heavy” ringing in his ears. It seemed that the way Prompto was right now, he was not enough to be Prince Noctis’s friend yet. Maybe he had to change.

So he started running.

Running was exhausting, but Prompto pushed through. Thoughts of Lady Lunafreya’s hope of friendship between him and Prince Noctis spurred him on. If he became worthy enough, maybe, just maybe, Noctis would be his friend.

_ Just one friend, _ Prompto thought after another day of running, folding a camelia paper flower.  _ I just want a friend. _

Prompto tries again in high school.

He wasn’t the chubby kid he used to be, anymore. Puberty and running made his body leaner–even ending up a bit on the slender side─ and definitely very different from what he used to look like before. He had done all he could. Prompto could only hope that Prince Noctis found him enough, this time around.

He gathered all his courage and walked over to Prince Noctis with a smile, slapping him on the back. “Hey there, Prince Noctis, my name’s Prompto. Nice to meet you!” 

“Don’t I know you?”

“I-um, Prince─“

“Just Noctis. Nice to meet you again, Prompto.”

...

Prompto becoming friends with Noctis made Prompto the happiest he’d ever been. While Noctis was busy with his princely duties and what-not, he still made time to hang out with Prompto. Prompto put all his favorite moments to picture–whether they were playing at the arcade, goofing around at Noctis’s apartment after school, or having a late-night King’s Knight session–he treasured them all. 

Of course, being friends with the Prince meant also befriending his retainers. Prompto wasn’t sure that Ignis and Gladiolus would ever come to like him enough to allow him to be their friend, but the two surprised him by welcoming him into their little circle with ease. Ignis would make him extra batches of desserts, and Gladio taught him how to train for the Crownsguard exams. Prompto couldn’t believe how lucky he was–he wished for a friend and now he had  _ three.  _

Prompto might have gotten his wish before finishing a thousand paper flowers, but if he made it a habit to continue, maybe he could wish for something else when the time came.

...

The four of them had left Insomnia in relatively high spirits. Yes, the car did break down along the way, but what’s life without a little trouble down the road?

Prompto had brought his sack of paper flowers along, now stored somewhere in Noct’s armiger, upon having the idea of giving them to Noctis and Lady Lunafreya as a wedding gift once they reached Altissia. Prompto already had everything he wanted, so he doesn’t mind giving up his supposed wish for the soon-to-be couple. He wasn’t sure if he could reach a thousand by then, but he knew it would be worth a try.

Insomnia has fallen and everything the four of them loved and reduced it to smoke and ashes. Prompto’s not so sure if he would ever be able to give his wish to them, but at least they have each other. Amidst the sorrow they feel, Prompto folds, clusters of cherry blossoms added to the pile.

...

He should have known better.

Altissia had brought nothing but more grief and sorrow. Even with Lunafreya dead, Ignis blind and their group walking on eggshells, Prompto still hoped things would take a turn for the better.

In the end, all it took was one push to take what remainder of hope he had.

“Flowers are fragile things are they not?” Ardyn muses, examining the new batch of paper lilies Prompto had folded before being captured. “Paper flowers even more so.”

As he watches Ardyn burn the lilies, Prompto is glad that he kept his bigger pile of flowers deep down the armiger.

...

They got him back.

Noctis was a frantic mess when he reached Prompto. All of them were. Zegnautus was hell, a place Noctis would have liked to leave right that second if he had been given a choice, but with the Crystal here, he can’t. None of them can.

Prompto kept silent, his hands fiddling with a random data sheet they had found in the dorms of the Keep. He was folding paper on habit again. They had all noticed a long time ago, but never talked to Prompto about it. Thinking about it now, there was that famous belief. The one that would grant a wish.

If Prompto cried later on when batches of paper roses, dahlias, and bellflowers were added to his pile, the three of them wouldn’t deny giving him all the comfort he needed.

...

“Ever at your side.”

“You guys… are the best.”

“Walk tall, my friends.”

...

During the years of darkness, Prompto folds. 

Now that the sun is rising, he stands in front of the throne room with Ignis and Gladio and finishes his thousandth flower.

“Bring him back,” he pleads the Astrals with all his might. “Bring Noctis back.”

...

In the first sunlight after ten long years of darkness, four men stand in front of the Citadel, facing the new dawn.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to fangirl with me on:  
> tumblr: skylarkphantomemperor  
> twitter: @ReisiAo


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